


Face Your Fears

by thegalrahobbitofplantetgalilfrey



Series: The Red Paladin's Double [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Hunk hugs, Sad bits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-14
Updated: 2016-12-14
Packaged: 2018-09-08 13:40:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8847211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegalrahobbitofplantetgalilfrey/pseuds/thegalrahobbitofplantetgalilfrey
Summary: The paladins are shown their worst fears as they fight Haggar





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't kill me.

“Keith, hold still!”  
“Ouch! No.”  
“I am going to clean these cuts, since you were so insistent on not getting in a cyro pod.”  
“They’re not that bad! Ouch! Watch where you put that disinfectant!”  
“You fell out of a tree. You’re lucky not to have broken anything.”  
“But I didn’t, so go away.”  
“No.”  
“You should be in bed, since you got poisoned.”  
“Too bad.”  
Keith yelped as Shiana dabbed harder on a scrape and yanked away.  
“Go away. I’m fine.”  
“I’ll be the judge of that.” Keith moved to the door.  
“I’m fine!” Keith saw the look on Shiana’s face. It was a full on ‘get back here right now before I drag you back by your ears’ face. He ran. Shiana gave chase.  
“Get back here right now!”  
“No! Shiro, make her leave me alone!” Shiro rubbed his head and sighed.  
“You are acting like… like… like Lance!”  
“Hey!”  
“Hey! Take that back! I am not anything like him!”  
“Is no one going to discuss the fact that she just used my name as an insult?”  
Allura took this time to interrupt. “Shiana, paladins, we are going to look at Shiana’s planet tomorrow and see what we can do.” Shiana stopped terrorizing Keith, and he took this opportunity to run to his room and lock the door.  
“We are?” Allura smiled.  
“Yes. I think it is about time what’s left of Altea helps our allies.” Shiana whooped out loud, then noticed that Keith had disappeared.  
“That boy…” she muttered.  
Shiro sat on the navigation deck, staring at the stars. Thoughts of what might happen when they saw Shiana’s planet whirled through his head. Best case scenario, they rescued he people, destroyed the Galra, leave. But what would Shiana do? What if she left to stay with her people? Shiro knew it was selfish of him, but he didn’t want Shiana to leave. Another part of him worried that they might make things worse, and Shiana might hate herself. These worries circulating his head, Shiro fell asleep.  
Shiana softly padded out on the navigation deck. She had thought she had heard… ah. Shiro was out again. He was sleeping, but he was shivering. Shiana knew she would never be able to lift Shiro, so she went to his room and got a blanket, which she spread over him. He started to moan, and muttered about witches, druids. Shiana sighed. Oh, Shiro.  
“Hey, Shiro, wake up. It’s just a nightmare.” She shook him gently. His metal hand reached out and caught her wrist. She yelped and tried to free herself, but he just gripped her tighter.  
Shiro was in Haggar’s lab. He was strapped to a table. The druid herself came up to him and shook him.  
“Shiro, wake up,” she hissed, “A nightmare.” Shiro reached out and grabbed her wrist. Haggar hissed and tried to pull away, but Shiro tightened his grip.  
“Shiro, let go! Let go NOW!” Shiro did not release her. Then the witch said in a softer voice, that of a scared girl,  
“Shiro, you’re hurting me.” The witch’s face turned to Shiana’s and Shiro sat up with a gasp, releasing Shiana’s wrist, which was turning purple. The other paladins and the Alteans raced out to the deck.  
“What’s going on,” yawned Hunk. Shiana shoved her hurt wrist behind her back.  
“Uh, nothing. I fell asleep, must’ve had a nightmare. Sorry.” The others, satisfied by this answer, went back to their rooms, each expressing that it was alright, she was safe, and if she wanted to talk about it, they were there. Shiro stared at her. She had covered for him. She… he had hurt her. His teammate. Why? Why? Shiana smiled tiredly at him.  
“It’s okay, Shiro. I’m fine, don’t worry about me. Let’s get you back to your room so you can have a decent night’s rest.” Shiro went back to his room, but stayed awake the whole night, terrified by his own mind.  
Shiana was a blur all morning, happy to go back to her own planet. Lance had to smile at her enthusiasm. It had only been a month since she’d left, but she was eager to get back. Lance understood. But when they traveled through the wormhole, there were only asteroids floating around. Shiana grasped what had happened before all the rest of them.  
“No. NO! They… they destroyed it! All of it! Why! Why!” She collapsed, sobbing, and everyone moved to hug her. Hunk swept her up and cuddled her. She hugged him and just sobbed her heart out into his shoulder. No one told her it would be okay, because they knew it wouldn’t be. Shiana was not given time to mourn, however, because a Galra ship appeared on the scanners. Allura, with tears in her eyes, fired the strongest gun they had at it. A dark energy appeared and sucked the bolt away. Lance recognized this as Haggar’s work.  
“It won’t let anything moving slower than a spaceship in. We’ll have to take the lions.”  
“A trap?” Keith’s question.  
“Probably, but we’ll have to risk it. Haggar is definitely on that ship, and if we take her out, the Empire will be weakened significantly.” Shiro nodded.  
“Wait.” Shiana looked determined.  
“Take me with you. I want to wreck a Galra ship.” Shiro considered this then agreed. At that moment Lance was glad that most ships were manned by robots, for the Galra’s sake. All of the paladins rushed to their lions.  
“This is…creepy.” Shiana shivered. “It’s all deserted.” The paladins were walking through the halls which were, as per Shiana’s description, deserted. Until five seconds after she said that and the Haggar appeared. She shouted something and jets of light hit each of the team. All of them dropped to the ground except Shiana. She looked around at all her unconscious teammates before charging the druid.  
“NO! Why did that not work?! You should be seeing your worst fear, like them!” Shiana gripped the druid’s robes.  
“I have a surprise for you, witch,” Shiana snarled, “My worst fears have happened. Your piddly spell can’t hold me.” She activated the knife in her gloves, but the witch disappeared. Shiana considered chasing her but decided to help her teammates first. She gently touched Lance’s shoulder and was thrown into a world of his nightmares.


	2. Lance.

Lance landed the blue lion on a planet that Shiana guessed was earth. His family ran out to meet him, smiling at him. Hugs were exchanged and Shiana smiled. Maybe Haggar had the wrong spell. This looked happy. The castle landed nearby. Lance’s parents shook their heads. They told him he shouldn’t, he needed to be at least somewhat normal. They told him he had to choose, his family or his new life. Lance protested that he could live in both, but they just shook their heads and left.  
The Paladins rushed out to meet him. He told them he couldn’t be part of Voltron. They also shook their heads and left, even Hunk and Pidge. This was Lance’s fear. That his two worlds could not live together and he would be forced to choose and make a choice he would regret. Shiana walked to him.  
“Hey.”  
“Shiana? You don’t hate me?” Lance was crying. Shiana hugged him.  
“Of course not, meas amicus. This isn’t real. Well, I am, but that wasn’t. Would your family ever reject you? Really?” Lance sniffled.  
“I guess not.”  
“And would we ever reject you?”  
“Keith might.” Shiana laughed and Lance smiled a little.  
“I promise, he wouldn’t. not really. He’s really a big softie.”  
“Ha! I’ll believe it when I see it! “  
“Well?”  
“You’re right. This isn’t real.” The world dissolved and Shiana sat up. Lance was awake too. Shiana moved to Hunk and her mind melted into his.


	3. Hunk

Hunk’s mind was in chaos. Shiana could barely tell what was happening. She had this vague feeling that people were dying and Hunk couldn’t do anything. She saw a person she recognized as a Balmeran calling for help that Hunk couldn’t provide. She saw Lance during an explosion, except Hunk couldn’t get a crystal, Lance died, there was nothing he could do. Shiro was being attacked by Haggar and Hunk couldn’t find the real one, he kept shooting the wrong ones, all the fakes, too late, too late, Shiro was dead, dead. Pidge on a planet, alone, green lion crashed, Hunk couldn’t find her, couldn’t save her, he found her only for her to die in his arms. Keith, turning purple, realizing he was a Galra, full of insecurities, Hunk couldn’t help, couldn’t tell him it didn’t matter that he was Galra. Keith looked up, eyes full of pain, Hunk couldn’t reach him, comfort him. Allura and Coran in the castle as it was attacked, not able to form Voltron because of Hunk. Shiana herself, captured, the Galra experimenting on her, trying to find out the secret to her power, and Hunk was watching, unable to burst away and help her. Everywhere Shiana looked was death, despair, pain. She felt herself drowning in Hunk’s fears, unable to reach him.  
No. Shiana, don’t get pulled in. The red lion’s voice had managed to reach her through Hunk’s terror.  
Help the yellow paladin. Focus on that. Nothing else. Shiana pulled herself together and moved to Hunk.  
“Hunk!” Hunk turned to her  
“Shiana! But you, but…” Hunk turned from the dream Shiana to the real one. “What is happening!”  
“Hunk, this isn’t real. None of it is. It’s all fake.” Realization dawned on Hunk, and the world shattered. Shiana lightly touched Pidge.


	4. Pidge.

Pidge could see her father and Matt. They were laughing, calling her. She ran to them. But when she reached them, they disappeared, reappearing a few yards away, still calling. No matter how fast Pidge ran they were always out of reach. After a while they got impatient. Why couldn’t she catch up, why was she so slow? She was useless, unable to even find them. Then she finally reached them, hugged them, but Galra appeared, dragging them away, Pidge couldn’t stop them.   
Shiana tried to go to her, but the dream was completely about distance. Pidge’s mind seemed to be purposely keeping Shiana away.   
“Pidge,” Shiana called desperately “Don’t listen! You’re not useless, you are wonderful the way you are! Your father and brother are proud of you. Pidge looked at her and nodded. The nightmare ended, Shiana moved on to Keith.


	5. Keith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, remember when I said Keith was over the insecurities of being a Galra? Whoops.

Soldiers marching. Firing. The Castle of Lions on fire. Arusians running around screaming. All his fault. He was a Galra, and this was his fault. Planets, conquered because of him, his people. Death, so much death. Shiana’s father, Pidge’s father and brother, the Balmerans. His fault. The Galra were in the Castle of Lions, all his friends captured. His fault. He was with Zarkon, who was saying what a good job he had done just by being Galra. He ran, but then Haggar had him. She made him watch as she tortured his friends, cackling. This is your fault, she was saying, All your fault. And they all turned to him, hurt and betrayal in their faces. Why, why did you do this. They all turned their backs to him, calling him a traitor. Keith ran, he ran and ran until he was in the red lion, hoping for comfort, but the red lion spit him out. Galra scum. Shiana will fly me. Not you. Keith curled into a corner, hands over his ears, trying to block out the voices to no avail, tears that he had held back for far too long streaming down his face. Shiana had had enough.  
“Keith.” Shiana gently put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay Keith.” He curled away from her. Shiana was reminded of the morning before when he had pulled away from her care of his cuts. It seemed as though he did the same for his emotions, pulling away from what could help him to avoid the sting.  
“Go away,” he mumbled, “I know it’s my fault. Leave me alone.”  
“Keith, it’s not your fault.” He looked up, eyes bloodshot.  
“Yes it is. Go away.”  
“Keith, listen to me. Your race is not going to determine whether or not we are found by the Galra. Only your choices. No more tracking chip, yeah?”  
“Yeah.” Shiana stood up and offered him her hand. He took it, and they both woke up. Shiana moved to the person whose fear she had dreaded the most. Shiro’s.


	6. Chapter 6

Shiro’s nightmare was surprisingly precise. He was in the arena, fighting. Shiana watched as he killed the monster he was fighting, who had a shocked look on its face as it bled onto Shiro before collapsing. The landscape shifted and Shiro was on a table, his arm gone, druids attaching metal to his stump as he screamed. Shiana shook her head to clear it. Shiro’s nightmare was to vivid to break by reason alone. She needed to… What? She couldn’t convince him that this wasn’t real. It had happened. The best she could do was try to help him through it. She clenched his hand.   
“Shiana?” His voice was faint. “What are you doing here.”  
“Shh. I’m going to help you through this. I am right here for you. Remember that, no matter what happens. I am right with you.” Shiro nodded as the dreamscape moved again. He was in the arena again, this time with Matt. He was trying so hard to protect him, but it was hard. Matt was injured. Shiro was roaring like a wild animal, destroying everything. Shiana put a hand on his shoulder and he stopped. She smiled.   
Back in the lab. Shiro activated his arm and sliced through his restraints, attacking the druids. He was suspended in light, Haggar yelling that he could not beat her, that she created him.  
Injuring Matt himself, trying to keep him from serious harm, fighting the gladiator, beating it.   
Back in the lab, having nerves attached to his arm. He howled, Shiana clenching his hand, comforting him.  
Being captured from Kerberos, getting smacked on the head by the Galra, all his fault, why hadn’t he seen this coming. Shiana was there again.  
“Shiro, we have to go now.”  
“What? Go where?”  
“Just trust me.” Shiana slapped him, hard. He woke up with a gasp, the rest of the team staring at him, all their eyes red as if they’d been crying. The ship began to shake and roll under their feet.


	7. Chapter 7

“What’s going on?!”  
“We set the explosives already, remember? This thing is gonna blow!”  
The team ran to the lions, barely managing to make it to the Castle before the ship exploded.  
It was a subdued group that was on the navigation deck, particularly Shiana. She could understand each of them so much better. She wasn’t sure she liked it that way, feeling like she had intruded on something private. Then Allura came with good news.  
“We ran a scan. Before blowing up the planet, the Galra loaded all of the people onto a spaceship. They’re still alive… What’s wrong with all of you?”  
They all looked at each other. Shiana had seen and experienced each of their worst fears. Keith didn’t know about the others, but he thought that he might not ever look at her the same way. Still, he tried for a smile.  
“Great news, Allura. We’re just…Tired.” A mischievous grin appeared on Shiana’s face and she seized Keith’s wrist.  
“Ha! You can’t escape me this time, buster.” She dragged him to the sick bay, protesting strongly as everybody laughed.

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, guys, please comment which of my works is your favorite and why so that I can put more of whatever it is into future works!


End file.
